Minnesota Bills Aim to Create Jobs, Lure Businesses

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate pushed through several initiatives Thursday to streamline regulations in order to add jobs and attract business to the state, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Friday. State Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen sponsored measures that make it easier and faster to get state permits for new and expanding businesses so they could add jobs.

More employees would be required to review permit applications. But Ingebrigtsen, who chairs the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, said other cuts would be made to offset the added costs.

"You can rest assured, we will be cutting here and there to make this work,'' he said.

Provisions in the measure would allow developers appealing permit denials to skip lower courts and go straight to state court of appeal. In addition, they would be able to draft their own environmental review under the measure.

The House passed similar proposals, which now must be reconciled with the Senate version before heading to Gov. Mark Dayton’s desk for him to sign.